a leap of faith
by Maddax
Summary: SN- a single leap of faith can change everything


This is based on the song by Rachel Proctor "Me and Emily".  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in CSI or the song, but hey a girl could dream. Everything in italic is from 4 and 1/2 years ago.  
  
4 and 1/2 years ago:  
  
Sara looked around the old beat up car. It was covered in baby toys and coffee cups, and the rain poured down outside. Her elbow was resting on the windowsill, her jaw in her hand and she was on the edge of crying, all that could be heard was the soft breathing of Emily in the back seat. Her cell phone flashed low battery.  
  
"Oh, G-d, what if I break down" Sara thought.  
  
"The exit, where the hell is that exit" she wondered starting to panic, tears silently streaming down her face.  
  
Sara looked back at the 4 month old infant in the back seat, she began to calm a little.  
  
"It's for her, everything is going to be alright, it has to be" she thought as she turned on to exit number 5.  
  
Today:  
  
Nicks voice calling her pulled her out the daze the rhythmic beating on the rain had put her in. She softly took in a shaky breath and took her hand from the cold window. She smiled and turned to Nick.  
  
"humm" she asked.  
  
"I wanted to know if you'd come to breakfast with us the whole groups going" he smiled as he spoke in his sexy Texan drawl.  
  
They stood in the brake room, Sara by the window, Nick by the door.  
  
"Nick" Sara thought, "sweet, kind, funny, caring, understanding, and the fact that he has a rally nice ass is defiantly gives him some bonus points. She loved him, he was her best friend. Maybe he'd understand...   
  
She watched Nicks mouth form words and him come closer but she couldn't focus, finally his voice broke though the wall of pain that fogged her mind.  
  
"Sara, are you O.K"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine" She smiled nodding.  
  
"So, breakfast" Nick asked.  
  
"I'm Sorry, but I already have plans".  
  
"Oh, O.K" he said unsurely.  
  
Grabbing her purse she stared to walk out when Nicks hand caught her elbow.   
  
"Sara, you know that I'm here for you right?" he asked.  
  
She didn't know why she did it, it was a risk, maybe it was the rain, or the way her was looking at her or the bombardment of memories breaking her heart.  
  
" Can I take you up on that offer now?" she asked her face smile stripped from her face.   
  
He nodded and followed her outside. From behind he watched as she walked to her car completely unfazed by the rain, she climbed into the drivers seat and looked pointedly at Nick. He ran up to the car and climbed in. He looked to her, he knew he had to let her lead or he'd lose this chance to know the real Sara.  
  
Softly she said "no questions till we get there".  
  
Nick agreed and she pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
Sara pulled into a driveway; it was in a little town 20 minutes outside Vegas. A tall slender blond woman came out of the house, relief painted on her face.  
  
The rain had stopped. Sara realized as she climbed out of the car. The blond woman ran to Sara and hugged her. Sara looked at her cousin, tears streaming down her face,   
  
"I did it," she whispered.  
  
Grabbing the baby they headed into the house.  
  
Nick watched Sara as she drove, her mind was some where else. Her eyes started to shimmer with unshed tears. Nick swallowed. Sara was strong, and brave it had to be pretty serious to shake her. He smiled at her, he was happy that she had took this leap of hope with him. He cared about her, he loved her, a lot more then any friend was suppose too. Sara pulled on to exit number 5. She took another shaky breath. She felt the warmth of Nicks hand cover hers on the gear shift. She smiled, "Maybe his is going to be O.K".  
  
Sara pulled into a familiar drive way, the rain still beat down on the car, her mind drifted back again.  
  
Sara watched Emily sleep on the bed. She turned her concerned eyes back to her cousin, they were met with pride and love.  
  
"I am so proud of you Sara, you did the right thing". Her cousin Cindy said.  
  
"Thank you" She whispered.  
  
"You know one day she going to start asking questions about Chris. Her little minds going to start wondering "where's my Daddy? Do I have one? Dose he not love me the way Mommy dose?" Sara cried  
  
"You did the right thing Sara, he would have hurt Emily".   
  
Sara turned back to the sleeping baby, and whispered a promise " I'll keep you safe from him Emily, one day I'll find someone to love both of us and I'll bring him to meet you" She brushed her hand over Emily's head and gently kissed her forehead.  
  
The door of the house opened. Sara looked at Nick one last time and got out the car and headed to the house Nick close behind, picking up speed he walked shoulder to shoulder with her to the front door. A little girl about 4 years old with long brown pig tails came bouncing to the door.  
  
"Mommy" she called and jumped into Sara's open arms for a hug. Cindy walked up behind her smiling a greeting, when she saw Nick her smile changed to one loving relief.  
  
"Hey Sara" she said as Sara let Emily down and gave her cousin a hug.  
  
"Hi, Cindy" Sara said returning the hug.  
  
They walked into the house.  
  
"Emily, I'd like you to meet someone. Emily this is Nick, a friend of mine, Nick this is Emily, my, daughter" Sara beamed looking up from her daughter.  
  
Nick kneeled down to eye level with the girl. "It's very nice to meet you Emily" he said holding out his hand.  
  
Emily eagerly took it and shook it hard, well as hard as a 4 year old could." It's nice to meet you too," she beamed reviling a gapped tooth grin.  
  
"Mommy look what I drew" as she ran to her room to get something.  
  
Nick and Sara turned to Cindy.  
  
"Hi, I'm Sara's cousin Cindy" Cindy grinned.  
  
"Nick" Nick answered with a smile.   
  
"I have cookies in the oven I'll be right back" Cindy smiled.  
  
Sara turned to look at Nick for the first time since he met Emily.  
  
" She's beautiful Sara" he said.  
  
"thank you, I wanted you to meet her, you've been such an amazing friend to me I wanted you to know about the most important thing in my life" She said as Emily bounded back out of her room.  
  
For the next couple hours Nick watched Sara in amazement as she played with her daughter, you could see how much Sara loved her in the gleam in her eye or how she laughed, Emily's smile showed just how much she worshiped Sara. Nick couldn't think of anything he would rather do then watch this Sara and Emily. Sara looked back at Nick a grin of complete happiness etched on her face. Nick returned the smile and witness a faint blush cross her face.  
  
"Maybe there was a chance I could do more then just observe this small family" he thought smiling.  
  
Later that morning while Emily and Cindy were making lunch, an exhausted Sara sat down next to Nick on the couch.  
  
"She's amazing Sara, she's beautiful and smart, sweet, she's a lot like her mommy" Nick told her as he looked her in the eye.  
  
She smiled, "I'm sorry, you probably want to be in bed, it's just Emily doesn't run on the nocturnal clock like we do and I haven't seen her much lately." She said looking Nick in the eye.  
  
"That's no problem Sara, there's no where else I'd rather be right now, this has been amazing. I was wondering Sara, why me, why'd you show me Emily" Nick asked softly.  
  
"I wanted her to meet you because... because your you, and you have been my best friend you didn't know it but you've helped me stay strong for that little girl all these years. I know your wondering about "him", and why Emily lives with my cousin not me, Emily doesn't know about him, I'll tell her one day, but today I want you to know, his name was Chris..."  
  
Nick stood in his home getting ready for bed. Anger seethed at the surface, he never met this Chris guy, but if ever did, well, put it this way Nick knew how to hide the evidence. Nick sat down on his bed half dressed. Sara and Emily deserved a family with someone who'd love them, and was more then willing to take that responsibility.  
  
Nick and Sara sat in the brake room doing paper work.  
  
"So, when are going to see Emily again" Nick asked quietly.  
  
Sara looked up and smiled, "tonight" she whispered.  
  
"Mind if I tag along" he asked leaning forward.  
  
"Not at all, she really likes you" Sara smiled.  
  
"The feelings mutual" Nick grinned.  
  
They sat there for a few minutes just smiling at each other when nature called to Sara and she left the brake room. Nick sat back grinning when the rest of the team came in for a coffee fill up.  
  
"What's that big grin for Nicky, as I remember paper work is hardly enjoyable" Catherine said, looking suspiciously at the younger CSI. Nick was a bout to answer when yelling started from the front desk. The group ran out of the brake room to see a tall blond woman holding luggage a young brown haired girls hand.  
  
"I just wasn't to see Sara" the blond said on the verge of crying.  
  
"Cindy" Nick called. She whipped around to look at Nick.  
  
"Oh thank G-d" she said braking down. Emily dropped Cindy's hand and ran to Nick. Picking her up he hugged the frighten little girl.  
  
"Nick, where's my Mommy" Emily asked as Nick soothingly rubbed the little girls back.  
  
"Cindy" Sara confused.  
  
"Mommy" the small girl cried from Nicks arms.  
  
Sara ran to nick and collected her daughter, "Cindy, what's going on?" she asked hugging her daughter.  
  
The rest Night shift watched confused.  
  
"He found you, Chris found you and Emily Sara." Cindy said as she cried.  
  
Sara's faced paled, grabbing the suitcase by Cindy she prepared to run when Nick caught her arm.  
  
Sara looked at him in terror "let me go Nick, I have to leave".  
  
"Sara, you safe here, I'm not going to let Chris hurt you or Emily" Nick pleaded with her.  
  
Sara made a soft noise of objection and tried to pull her arm from his grasp.  
  
"Sara, please, you took a leap of faith with me, take it with them, they'll understand, we'll help you, you don't have to run any more." He said softly, Sara looked into his eyes, the windows to his soul and she knew he would help, nodding they went into the break room.  
  
Greg, Catherine, Warrick, Grissom, Sara and Nick sat around the table as Cindy and Emily played on the floor.  
  
Sara looked to her daughter, taking a deep breath she started softly, "that's Emily, my daughter, she's 4 and 1/2 , she's my world. 6 years ago I made the mistake of getting involved with her father, is a man named Chris. I thought he loved me once but he didn't, the only good thing he ever gave me was Emily, nothing I ever did was ever enough to make him happy, the house wasn't clean enough, dinner was good enough. So he gave me what he thought I deserved, I took it for a long time, but when I had Emily... It would kill me if he ever raised a hand to her, so when I left I hid Emily with Cindy, I knew then if he found me he wouldn't fid her, but I was wrong" Sara wept. Nick held her as she cried. Around the table emotions played on peoples faces. Catherine looked as if she too was about to cry, Greg looked mortified, Warrick and Grissom's anger with Chris showed clearly on their faces.  
  
"Sara, don't worry we're going to help you, we wont let him hurt either of you" Warrick said reaching across the table putting his hand over hers.  
  
It had taken a several weeks but with the pictures had taken of her bruises on Cindy insistence all those years ago, along with Cindy, a doctor from Sara's pat and Sara herself testimony, full custody was awarded to Sara, when it was discovered that Chris had come to Nevada with the intent of killing her. Sara stood on the roof and took a deep breath, today was a new day, a second chance for her and Emily. She smiled, everything was going to be O.K. She was so engrossed in her thoughts she never heard the door behind her open, when a hand touched her shoulder, she whipped around coming face to face with Nick.  
  
"Whoa, there Sar, I just wanted to see how your doing" Nick asked.  
  
"I have my daughter and we're safe, my life's never been better. Nick I want to thank you for all you help, if I could make it up to you I would"   
  
"Don't mention it, but if you really want to make it to me, you could go out with me Friday night"   
  
Sara looked at him in shock, " Nick, I don't know, Emily really likes you"  
  
Nick laughed, "that's your reason, what you want to go out with someone she doesn't like"   
  
"NO, it just if it didn't work out, she'd be hurt, I couldn't do that to her" Sara said looking to Nick.  
  
"Sara, your already planning the break up and we haven't even been on the first date, you don't know how it'll go, but I can tell you this, I have no plans on going any where. Please Sara just one last leap of faith in me" He said taking her hand in his, he lent down and gently brushed his lips against hers.  
  
"Alright" she smiled, then tilted up to kiss him again.  
  
12 years later:  
  
"Mom, can I borrow your jacket" Emily called from the closet.  
  
"Which one?" Sara asked from the living room couch.  
  
"The leather one" Emily said as she walked into the room. Emily looked around the room, her 10 year old brother Kyle sat on the floor watching T.V and her mother sat on the living room couch reading a forensic magazine, something's never changed.  
  
"Sure, but will you wait until your father gets home before you leave he hasn't seen you much this week" Sara said looking up from her magazine.  
  
Emily's mid waste curled hair bounced as she sat down on the couch by her mothers feet.  
  
"How is that case going, Daddy's been working so hard on it" Emily asked.  
  
Before Sara could answer the door opened.  
  
"Why don't you ask him yourself" Sara smiled.  
  
Kyle jumped up and shouted Pizza as he ran to the door to intercept his father, Emily and Sara laughed as they went to meet him at the door. Kyle took the box from his dad and ran to the kitchen.  
  
Sara kissed her husband hello, and Emily gave him a hug.  
  
"Hi daddy" Emily said.  
  
"Hey hun, where are you going" he questioned his daughter.  
  
"Jake and I are going to the movies" Emily answered  
  
"Jake" Her father questioned.  
  
"Nick" Sara warned.  
  
"He's just a boy daddy" Emily laughed.  
  
"Well I'd like to meet this boy before you leave" Nick said.  
  
"What and let you scare him away like you did my last boyfriend" Emily questioned.  
  
"Wow, in a second he went form a boy to a boyfriend" Nick looked at his 16 year old daughter.  
  
"Nick" Sara said warningly again  
  
"Fine, fine, I don't have to meet him tonight but if he's dating my daughter I will meet him eventually" Nick grumbled.  
  
Emily saw car lights flash through the living room window.  
  
"He's here, I gotta go, bye Daddy, mom, bye Kyle" she called and laughed when she got a muffled answer from her brother who obviously already had food in his mouth.  
  
"What, he's not even coming to the door, I'm not sure this is the kind of I guy I want you dating" Nick said starting to follow his daughter to the door when Sara caught his hand and looked at him pointedly.  
  
"Have fun Emily" She called.  
  
Nick turned to his wife "but" he started and was quickly quieted by a kiss.  
  
"A leap of faith Nick, isn't that what you told me to do once?" Sara smiled.  
  
"Yeah but when I said it I didn't think you'd use it against me later" he laughed.  
  
"I love you Sara" she smiled at her.  
  
"I love you too" She whispered just before she kissed him  
  
the end 


End file.
